


Gotham: Become a Father

by ImNotaDuck, MintAnnDroid



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics), Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Android Children, Androids, Bad Parents Jack and Janet Drake, Batfamily, Batfamily set in Detroit Become Human world, Big Brother Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Gen, Mary and John Grayson deserved better, Parent Bruce Wayne, Robins rewritten in DBH setting, Some of the Batboys are androids, detroit become human - Freeform, not all of them though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:07:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25695517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImNotaDuck/pseuds/ImNotaDuck, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MintAnnDroid/pseuds/MintAnnDroid
Summary: "My name is Cyberbird. I'm the Android Child Acrobat sent by Cyberlife. It is my pleasure to welcome you to Haly's Circus! I hope that you will enjoy the show."History of Robins rewritten in Detroit Become Human setting.Alternatively - Bruce Wayne adoption addiction does not differentiate between human and android children.We also have a Polish translation of the fic available now!
Relationships: Alfred Pennyworth & Bruce Wayne, Batfamily Members & Other(s), Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson & John Grayson & Mary Grayson, John Grayson/Mary Grayson (background), Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Damian Wayne
Comments: 2
Kudos: 61





	Gotham: Become a Father

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Gotham: Become a Father](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25869157) by [ImNotaDuck](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImNotaDuck/pseuds/ImNotaDuck), [MintAnnDroid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MintAnnDroid/pseuds/MintAnnDroid). 



> This collaboration came to life long ago with the question of "If Batfamily was set in DBH world, who of the characters would be an android and who would stay human?". Somehow the brainstorming ended up in this story. 
> 
> We're going to focus mostly on the Batfamily and their relationship so all eventual ships are going to be just background ones.
> 
> Just a heads up, English is not my native language so I apologize in advance for any grammar mistakes or weird wording. 
> 
> A Polish version of this fic will be available soon!
> 
> I also wanted to say big thanks to the Roasted discord server members who helped us with the beta work! You guys are the best.

**_Buy your android today! Irreplaceable help for every modern house! You will never dream about having a butler again when our androids not only can do the work ten times better but without any complaint as well! Get our special deal now and choose from twenty different designs! Don’t wait! Buy your ideal house helper now!_ **

“I beg to differ.”

Bruce turned his gaze from the TV to look at his longtime friend and butler who discreetly walked into the room with a tea tray.

"Is that jealousy speaking, Alfred?” he asked with a smile, taking a cup from the tray.

He glared at the herbal tea, trying to somehow magically turn it into coffee he had requested even though he was perfectly aware that the unexpected change of the drink wasn't the butler's mistake. Pointing it out to the older man would have been of no use. He had already heard the ‘you-are-drinking-too-much-coffee-sir’ lecture enough in the past..

“Of course not, sir,” the British man said calmly, putting a decorative envelope from the tray on the table. “Androids may be one of the greatest inventions of this century but there are still many years to come until they can master the art of making perfect afternoon tea.”

“Still, don’t you think that you could use some help around the manor?” Bruce reached for the envelope, checking it briefly and pulled out a letter. He read it slowly as he drank his tea.

“Master Bruce, have you got any complaints about the quality of my service?” Alfred’s voice seemingly turned cold but there was still a hint of a tease to it.

“Of course not, my friend. But still, I believe you could use some time for yourself,” the young man suggested.

“And what, may I ask, would I do with that time? I am perfectly content with the amount I have now.”

“If you say so.” Bruce finished the letter and put it back on the table with an intrigued ‘huh’.

Alfred, currently occupied with dusting the almost perfectly clean shelf, turned at the change of his ward’s tone. 

“Is it something interesting, sir? It’s rare nowadays to receive actual paper invitations.”

“I don’t know. They are inviting me to tomorrow’s grand opening show at a circus that has arrived in Gotham today.” He put the teacup down.

“I might have seen some advertisements for the performance. They are said to have a marvellous acrobatics act, aren’t they? Are you planning to attend, Master Bruce?”

“I guess I could check it out. They say that their main stars, the Flying Graysons, are the only people in the world able to do a quadruple flip. And they perform it without a safety net.”

Bruce decided that a circus could be a pleasant change in his daily routine. Between running a company by day and catching criminals at night, there was little time for him to simply enjoy himself. Not that he needed it. To be honest, he mostly considered it because of Alfred who he knew worried about him and his mental health and would have tried to convince him anyway if he had refused to accept the invitation. 

“That indeed sounds impressive. Great decision, sir. God only knows you need to participate in events other than your nightly escapades in that godforsaken costume.”

“Of course, Alfred. If you say so,” his lips quirked in a small smile at the predicted answer. 

He decided to do some research about the circus and pulled out his phone, typing 'Haly's Circus' into the search bar. The results showed him that the troupe came from Europe and was currently doing it's first American tour. The performers were mostly human and the circus prided itself for not using wild animals and opting for their android version instead. The acts varied from knife-throwing, fire-breathing and walking the tightrope to trained lions and dancing elephants. What caught Bruce's attention the most though, was an ad for a 'special debut' of a child android acrobat which was going to perform with the Flying Graysons for the first time. 

That information threw him off a bit. Child models weren’t very common yet. They would only be made by CyberLife on special request and cost a lot of money. There were rumours about CyberLife launching a commercial series of child androids next year however with no official statement released, people were still on the fence about having a robot child. 

He wondered if the little android had been improved and reprogrammed to be able to work in the circus. That possibility intrigued him. CyberLife might be the main sponsor of the circus but why would they create a child acrobat?

It definitely wasn't a common practice. He hoped to investigate some more that evening. Something just didn't seem right.

"Would you like to go with me, Alfred?" He asked his friend. The older man had already done so much for him, practically raising him after his parents' death. He could use some entertainment.

"Thank you for your offer, Master Bruce, but somebody needs to stay in the manor. And Circus is not a place for an old man like me. Maybe miss Kyle would be interested in going?"

Bruce smiled at the thought of the beautiful woman but quickly remembered that she was off somewhere, probably doing a heist in Metropolis or Star City. 

"Unfortunately, Selina's busy now and I don't think she'd return to Gotham only to attend a circus act," He finished his drink and got up from the chair, "I guess I will just go alone."

Alfred approached and collected the empty cup.

"Whatever you choose, Master Bruce. Just try not to think of your work too much and enjoy yourself." He frowned, noticing his ward had already started typing something into the small wrist computer installed into his watch.

"Are you leaving already?"

Bruce confirmed with a nod.

"Yes, I have some intel about Penguin planning to strike tonight. It is not a hundred percent confirmed but trustworthy enough that I want to check it out. Especially tomorrow as I'll need to cut my patrol short." 

He was already in Bat mode, the civilian life long forgot. The only thing that counted now was the mission. Alfred turned to collect the invitation from the table.

"A break will sure do you good-" the butler didn't even finish the sentence when he turned back and noticed that his ward was already gone. He sighed. Such a bat thing to do.

* * *

"Mami! Mami, look!"

A young woman turned her gaze in the direction of the voice, noticing a small, dark-haired boy running to her. She smiled warmly and crouched when the boy reached her, to be on an eye-level with him.

"What is it, my little Robin?" she asked, caressing his painted face. 

The artificial skin was cold under her touch but she had already learned to ignore it and love it, just as she loved everything about the boy CyberLife had gifted them. Sometimes she forgot that he wasn't human, especially with how he was now looking at her with so much joy in his eyes.

"Big Bo taught me how to make an origami squirrel! Look!" He showed her a little, perfectly folded figure. 

"That's amazing, honey. It looks great," she complimented his work. "But now you need to find a place for it to stay as the show is about to start."

Just as she said it, a tall man approached them. He leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek and ruffled the boy's hair.

"I just finished checking the ropes. Everything should be perfect for our performance." 

The woman smiled as she nodded and grabbed his hand.

"We should get going. I still need to dress up."

"Of course," he replied, turning to look at the small android. "Are you ready for today's premiere, Dickie? It's gonna be a great show!" 

The boy nodded enthusiastically, the glitter on his face sparkling in the light. 

"I am very excited to perform with you!" he said and ran to their trailer, laughing and doing some cartwheels along the way. He looked so… alive in that moment, that if it weren't for the shining band on his arm and big blue triangle on the back of his costume, along with his serial number, he could easily pass as a human child.

The woman leaned on her husband's shoulder, gazing after the boy.

"He's wonderful, isn't he, John? I know I wasn't sure at first about taking care of an android… You know what people say. My parents wouldn't be happy to hear that we replaced a real child with a machine. But… is it wrong that I want to love him as my own?" She put a hand on her stomach. "I feel it in my heart that it doesn't matter if he isn't my flesh and blood. He's mine. Ours. For some reason, he was sent to us. Our little miracle. I want to love him. Is that wrong?"

"I love him too, Mary. How could I not?" The man smiled warmly and turned to look at his wife in the eyes. "You shouldn't feel bad about this, my love. We couldn't have a child and with our lifestyle, we would never be able to adopt. Cyberbird might have been a prototype test subject for the circus but he's also our little boy. Our Richard." He lovingly caressed her face and took her hand, leading them to their trailer. "Let's go, we can't keep our boy waiting on the day of his debut now, can we?"

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you liked the introduction to our story!
> 
> I know that Dick's way of talking may seem a little off but it's on purpose since he's still in his non-deviant phase.
> 
> So far we have another two chapters written already but with our writing tempo, please do not expect very regular updates (I slightly hope for bigger writing motivation now that the story is finally out but I cannot promise anything - adulting is hard, okay?)


End file.
